1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the discovery of non-pathogenic, endophytic fungi that, in combination with other agents, can decontaminate, degrade and deodorize human wastes. In the present invention, the appropriate combination of the harmless endophytic fungi Muscodor albus (M. albus) and a non-pathogenic strain of Fusarium culmorum (F. culmorum) and an appropriate buffer (mixed with starch) are placed together in any environment in which human or animal wastes are found. This combination of agents represents a safe and novel treatment process for the recycling of ingredients found in human and animal wastes. The presence of these two fungi effectively kills the harmful bacteria in the human wastes and at the same time begins the process of recycling the organic constituents of the wastes back to a harmless soil additive. The present invention also relates to the isolation and discovery of the particular endophytes that are the subject of this application and the necessary ingredients needed for them to effectively recycle the waste constituents.
2. Description of the Related Art
All publications and patent applications discussed herein are incorporated by reference to the same extent as if each individual publication or patent application were specifically and individually indicated to be incorporated by reference. The following description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed inventions, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior art.
This invention relates to the extremely important world problem of safely disposing of billions of pounds of human excrement each day. Only a fraction of this massive amount of material is safely treated, while the remainder is untreated and poses a threat to human health. For instance, it is well known that the complex of bacterial and other agents causing gastrointestinal diseases is the world's largest single cause of mortality. It is also well known that these types of diseases impact primarily infants and children. It is estimated that over the next ten years, at least twenty million people will die as a result of poor or inadequate sanitation facilities. Approximately half of the world's population (2.4 billion) is without adequate sanitation facilities. Nearly 6000 children die each day from conditions such as diarrhea. In addition, people suffering from water-borne diseases occupy about half of the world's hospital beds. In several Asiatic countries, twice as many people are dying from diarrhea-related diseases as from AIDS (1). Essentially, the poor sanitation conditions are resulting from or related to the inability of homes, communities and countries to adequately treat and dispose of human wastes, which bear and promote the growth and development of disease-causing microorganisms.
While this invention does not presuppose that all of the world's sanitation problems are to be solved with this treatment process, it does represent a solution to solving some sanitation problems that can be properly and safely handled. The treatment process of the present invention can be employed in connection with such activities as national emergencies, military maneuvers, marine-related activities, natural disasters, outdoor sporting activities (camping, hiking, canoeing, hunting, biking, etc.) and other activities in which human wastes need to be properly and safely disposed of. As an example, it has been recently noted that proper and safe disposal of human waste is an important concern for the appropriate management of wildland areas of the world. Aesthetics, as well as health concerns, are the major issues facing managers of these areas (2).
In the present invention, the endophytic fungi M. albus and F. culmorum are combined together in any environment where the degradation of human or animal wastes is desired. The wastes are then exposed to the volatile antibiotics of M. albus and the degradation capabilities of F. culmorum. While the use of M. albus to treat human and animal wastes is the subject of previously filed patent applications, the present application relates to the discovery that the degradation of human and animal wastes can be accelerated through the use of both M. albus and F. culmorum together and that the two fungi work synergistically to achieve this effect.
In an effort to identify another organism that could complement M. albus in this process, experiments were designed with the knowledge that M. albus normally either inhibits or kills most other fungi and bacteria. Specifically, experiments were designed to identify a microbe (fungus) that would not only tolerate the volatiles of M. albus but thrive on them and grow using human wastes as a food source. These experiments resulted in the discovery of F. culmorum and its effectiveness in treating human and animal wastes in conjunction with M. albus. In order to facilitate the survival of both M. albus and F. culmorum and their ability to grow on a mixture of liquid and solid human wastes, it was necessary to add a buffering agent and a readily available food source.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to:
1. Identify an organism that will work together with and increase the efficacy of M. albus in safely treating human and animal wastes.
2. Identify an appropriate buffering agent for use in treating human and animal wastes with M. albus and F. culmorum. 
3. Identify a suitable food source for the combination of M. albus and F. culmorum for use in the treatment of human and animal wastes.